It did not take long at all for the Iowa Hawkeyes to prove that they belong in the top 25 teams in the country.
In one of the more dominant season-opening wins in recent Iowa memory, the Hawkeyes kickstarted their season with a 40-0 win over the Illinois State Redbirds.
The win has Iowa making a jump in ESPN’s College Football power rankings with an ascension up to No. 21.
The Hawkeyes got off to an alarming start offensively, managing just a pair of field goals in the first half in new offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s debut. But in the second half, quarterback Cade McNamara and the Hawkeyes found their groove. McNamara threw three touchdown passes, as the Hawkeyes coasted to a 40-0 win over Illinois State.
Iowa played without coach Kirk Ferentz, who served a one-game suspension for a recruiting violation; assistant head coach Seth Wallace helmed the team in his place. The Hawkeyes struggled offensively all last season, finishing last in the Big Ten in a multitude of categories. On Saturday, they showed promise in the second half behind McNamara, who missed the final nine games of last season with a knee injury. The Hawkeyes should be tough defensively again. If they can get more from the offense, they could prove to be a surprise playoff contender. – Jake Trotter, ESPN.
The slow start was a fair reason for some alarms as it appeared that things may be the same old Iowa. Luckily, Tim Lester showed his halftime adjustments and saw the Iowa offense take flight.
The strong showing is a confidence booster for Iowa as they head into one of the premier matchups of Week 2. Iowa hosts the Iowa State Cyclones inside Kinnick Stadium for what is expected to be another close Cy-Hawk battle.
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